An invitation from Natalie
Natalie Goldberg’s books have sold millions of copies, but her greatest passion is teaching writing practice, which she has been doing for over 50 years. In this 3-month course, Natalie will guide you in getting below your first thoughts and into the freshness of your creative potential. “Writing does writing, and you get out of the way.”
THIS COURSE INCLUDES
Monthly live 3-hour Zoom classes with Natalie Goldberg, plus four live group writing sessions with Sharyn Dimmick
Beginners Mind:
Saturday, October 3, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
“Beginner’s mind is what we must come back to every time we sit down and write. There is no security, no assurance that because we wrote something good two months ago, we will do it again. Actually, every time we begin, we wonder how we ever did it before. Each time is a new journey with no maps.”
Writing is a Communal Act:
Saturday, November 7, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
“We always worry that we are copying someone else, that we don’t have our own style. Don’t worry. Writing is a communal act. Contrary to popular belief, a writer is not Prometheus alone on a hill full of fire. We are very arrogant to think we alone have a totally original mind. We are carried on the backs of all the writers who came before us. We live in the present with all the history, ideas, and soda pop of this time. It all gets mixed up in our writing.”
Trust Yourself:
Saturday, December 19, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
“Give a piece to one hundred people, you could possibly get one hundred different opinions—not absolutely different, but lots of variations. This is where the depth of the relationship with yourself is so important. You should listen to what people say. Take in what they say. (Don’t build a steel box around yourself.) Then make your own decision. It’s your poem and your voice. There are no clear-cut rules; it is a relationship with yourself. What is it you wanted to say? What do you want to expose about yourself? Being naked in a piece is a loss of control. This is good. We’re not in control anyway. People see you as you are. Sometimes we expose ourselves before we understand what we have done. That’s hard, but even more painful is to freeze up and expose nothing.”
Live Writing Practice Sessions
- Wednesday, October 7, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, October 18, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, November 15, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
- Wednesday, December 2, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
Four live writing practice sessions on Zoom led by Sharyn Dimmick where you will be given time to write and the opportunity to read your work aloud to fellow workshop participants
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
In this course you will:
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Write from a variety of topics from Natalie
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Read your work out loud and practice listening without giving feedback
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Pay closer attention to the details that will bring your writing to life
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Listen to excerpts from some of Natalie’s favorite works and use the practice of recall to improve your writing
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Learn the benefits of making writing practice a part of your life
An excerpt from a previous course with Natalie
Sign up today and experience the profound effect of these teachings on your own life!
SPECIAL PRICE: $199
3-month payment plan option available
ADD TO CART100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE
If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, please email us within 30 days, and we will promptly refund your purchase price.
ABOUT YOUR TEACHER
© Photo by Mitsue Nagase.
NATALIE GOLDBERG is the author of seventeen books. Writing Down the Bones, her first, has sold over two million copies and been translated into 22 languages. For the last forty years she has practiced Zen and taught workshops in writing as a spiritual practice. She lives in New Mexico.
TESTIMONIALS
Thousands of people have studied writing with Natalie over the last 40 years. Here’s some of what they’ve had to say . . .
“This was just the greatest. To have access to Natalie, to write with people from around the world, to be reminded daily of how to write, and encouraged and inspired to continue, is priceless.”
“Natalie is so easy going and supportive. She understands how difficult and easy this practice can be. Just be open to listening and practicing.”
“If you have a longing to write or even just to explore who you are, this course will address it so beautifully it will make your heart ache with joy.”
“Natalie Goldberg bought wisdom, humor and space to my writing practice. Her advice on handling monkey mind is golden. I have a more gentle attitude toward my practice now, but also a strength and confidence. I found many answers to questions I didn't know I had.”
“I’ve been a long time fan of Natalie's and it was a faraway dream to be able to study with her. Timing as well as financial and family commitments made it seem impossible. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered that she was offering this program online! I feel like I’ve rediscovered a part of myself...What a delightful journey for my creative soul.”
“Natalie Goldberg's writing practice has transformed my life. Not only do her guidelines get you writing, the more you practice, the more you understand your own mind and what you have to say.”
“Can’t say enough about the high quality, meaningful experience this has been. Best of any online (and many in-person) courses I've taken. The warm sense of community continues, as does the writing practice.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When are the live calls?
There will be three 3-hour live calls with Natalie Goldberg during the online course:
- Saturday, October 3, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
- Saturday, November 7, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
- Saturday, December 19, 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
There will also be four live writing practice sessions led by Sharyn Dimmick:
- Wednesday, October 7, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, October 18, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EDT)
- Sunday, November 15, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
- Wednesday, December 2, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. (EST)
All live calls will take place on Zoom. Recordings of the calls will be made available for those who are unable to attend live, or if you'd like to rewatch at any point. You will have unlimited access to these recordings.
What is the refund policy?
Please email COURSE-EMAIL@shambhala.com within 30 days of purchase to request a refund. Refunds will not be granted on or after October 3.
What if I have technical difficulties with the course?
We have a dedicated course support person who can help you with any issues you may encounter in navigating or accessing the course. Please email COURSE-EMAIL@shambhala.com if you have any questions.
Paintings by Martha Worthley. Write icons created by DinosoftLabs - Flaticon